Field
The following description relates generally to wireless communications, and more particularly to blanking control resources in heterogeneous network deployments.
Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), and/or multi-carrier wireless specifications such as evolution data optimized (EV-DO), one or more revisions thereof, etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple user equipment (UE). Each UE may communicate with one or more evolved Node B (eNB) (e.g., base stations) via transmissions on downlinks and uplinks. The downlink refers to the communication link from eNBs to UEs, and the uplink refers to the communication link from UEs to eNBs. Further, communications between UEs and eNBs may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, UEs can communicate with other UEs (and/or eNBs with other eNBs) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
In heterogeneous network deployments, small scale eNBs, such as picocell or femtocell eNBs, can provide wireless network access within proximity of one or more macrocell eNBs (e.g., in a sector of the macrocell eNB). This can cause substantial interference to the small scale eNB when trying to communicate during macrocell eNB transmission. In addition, UEs communicating with the macrocell eNB can similarly cause interference to the small scale eNBs. In this regard, resource blanking messages can be sent to the macrocell eNB and/or interfering UEs over a control channel to request resource blanking from the macrocell eNB and/or UE over a set of data resources.
Resource blanking refers to refraining from conventional transmission over a set of resources. For example, this can include hard silencing where a transmitter can cease transmission during or over the resources. This can also include, however, soft power reduction in combination with beam steering (e.g., forming a spatial null towards the device being interfered). Thus, when the macrocell eNB blanks over resources, small scale eNBs can communicate over the resources to provide wireless network access to one or more devices without interference from the macrocell eNB. The control channels over which resource blanking requests are sent, however, can also be utilized by macrocell eNBs, UEs, and small scale eNBs. Thus, control channels can exhibit similar interference among the devices and eNBs, and the resource blanking request may itself be interfered.